That is shocking! I jst spent 6 yrs living in hong kong, where the deposits are steep - 2 months rent. Which for me at the peak was $10k for my last apartment (i stayed in three different ones) .. I just moved back to India vacating my apartment last day in solid condition… a week later the landlord deposits the full $10k in my accnt n sends me a picture of the receipt. Plain honesty and professionalism!

And you’d think (or at least I did) another developed society like America would be the same - but alas!